Promacrolaelaps propomacrus, Joharchi, Omid, Halliday, Bruce & Beyzavi, Gholamreza, 2013

Joharchi, Omid, Halliday, Bruce & Beyzavi, Gholamreza, 2013, A new species of the genus Promacrolaelaps (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with Propomacrus bimucronatus (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Iran, Zootaxa 3641 (4), pp. 379-383 : 380-382

Promacrolaelaps propomacrus sp. nov.

( Figures 1–11 )

Specimens examined. Holotype, female, Iran, Fars province, Kamfiruz region, Gh. Beyzavi coll., on adult of Propomacrus bimucronatus (deposited in YIAU). Paratypes: ten females, same data as holotype (deposited in YIAU, JAZM and ANIC).

Description. Female. Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield oval shaped, length 1104–1134 µm, width at level of r5 768–816 µm (n = 8), with weak polygonal reticulation across the shield between J1 and J3, podonotal area smooth ( Fig. 1 ). Shield with 30 pairs of setae, 15 pairs of podonotal setae on shield, s1, s3, s4, s5, s6, r2 and r4 outside shield on the soft skin, 15 pairs of opisthonotal setae on shield and four pairs of R setae on the lateral soft skin, Zx setae between J and Z setae absent; Z4 longest (382–420 µm), S5 (222–268 µm), j3 (232–268 µm), z3 (248–262 µm), z6 (252–288 µm) also long, j4 (168–174 µm) long enough to reach past j5, j6 (128–134 µm) long enough to reach past J1 but not long enough to reach to J2, J1 (115–120 µm) long enough to reach past J2 (128–134 µm). Shield with 10 pairs of large circular to oval-shaped pore-like structures, other pores minute and inconspicuous.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Tritosternum with paired pilose laciniae (184–198 µm), columnar base (74–80 µm × 44–50 µm wide) ( Fig. 4 ), pre-sternal area weakly sclerotised. Sternal shield (length 174–208 µm) narrowest at level of st2 (188–208 µm), widest between coxae II and III (292–298 µm), with concave anterior margin and straight posterior margin, postero-lateral corners slightly eroded, shield with three pairs of smooth sternal setae (st1 100–104 µm, st2 108–114 µm, st3 108–114 µm), one pair of lyrifissures adjacent to setae st1, and a pair of circular pores between st2 and st3, surface of sternal shield with distinct polygonal ornamentation throughout. Metasternal platelets absent, metasternal setae st4 (108–124 µm) and metasternal pores located separately on small circular or elongate platelets in soft skin, some specimens with one or both pores on posterior edge of sternal shield. Endopodal plates II/III completely fused to sternal shield, endopodal plates III/IV elongate, narrow, curved. Genital shield tongue-shaped, length 376–396 µm, maximum width 198–218 µm, posterior margin rounded, surface with polygonal ornamentation, bearing the genital setae st5 (114–124 µm). Paragenital pores located on soft skin close to st5. Anal shield sub-triangular (174–178 µm × 128–142 µm wide); its anterior half with lineate ornamentation, para-anal setae (65–75 µm) shorter than unpaired post-anal seta (90–100 µm), cribrum large, anal pores indistinct. Opisthogastric skin soft, with one pair of oval metapodal plates and 13 pairs of smooth setae, JV4 (322–376 µm) and JV5 (500–534 µm) very long and wavy. Podal shields adjacent to posterior margin of coxae IV small and narrow; three pairs of minute irregular platelets present between the metapodal plates and genital shield. Peritrematal shield free, with one long protrusions on its outer margin, two pairs of pores opposite coxa II, poststigmatal section conspicuous and very narrow, with one pair of post-stigmatal pores, and one pair of pores anterior to the stigmata; peritreme extending from coxa IV to mid level of coxa I.

Gnathosoma . Epistome irregularly denticulate laterally, central margin smooth with denticulate apex ( Fig. 5 ). Hypostomal groove with six rows of denticles, each row with 12–17 small teeth, and smooth anterior and posterior transverse lines. Hypostome with four pairs of setae, internal posterior hypostomal setae h3 longest ( Fig. 3 ). Corniculi robust and horn-like, reaching mid-level of palp femur. Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 2, femur 5, genu 6, tibia 12, tarsus 15, genu with a distinct dorso-distal triangular condyle, all setae smooth and needle-like, palp tarsal claw two-tined. Fixed digit of chelicera with eight small teeth, and one large distal tooth ( Fig. 6 ), pilus dentilis short and robust, dorsal seta short, thick, prostrate, movable digit with two large teeth, arthrodial membrane with a rounded flap and a few short filaments.

Legs. Legs II (782–816 µm) and III (866–916 µm) short, leg IV (1090–1124 µm) longest (including pretarsus). Chaetotaxy: Leg I (916–970 µm): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/2 1 (pd 1 thick), femur 2 3/1 2/2 2, macroseta pd 1 208–212 µm, ad 1 and pd 2 thick ( Fig. 7 ), genu 2 3/2 3/1 2, pd 1 longest ( Fig. 7 ), tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1, macroseta pd 1 292–306 µm and pd2 158–198 µm long ( Fig. 8 ), genu 2 3/1 2/1 2, pd 1 longest and ventral setae all thick ( Fig. 8 ), tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2, ventral setae all thick. Leg III: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 1/1 1/1 0, dorsal setae all thick, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, macroseta ad 1 322– 326 µm, al thick ( Fig. 9 ), genu 2 2/1 2/1 1, ad 1 macroseta 272–278 µm, pd 1 108–148 µm long, ventral setae all thick ( Fig. 9 ), tibia: 2 1/1 2/1 1, ventral setae thick. Leg IV: coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 1 1/1 0/1 1, dorsal setae all thick, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, macrosetae ad 1 420–426 µm and ad 2 118–148 µm long ( Fig. 10 ), genu 2 2/1 3/1 1, macrosetae ad 1 362–396 µm, pd 1 232–262 µm and av thick ( Fig. 10 ), tibia 2 2/1 3/1 2, ventral setae thick. Tarsi I– IV with 18 setae, 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. On tarsus II, al 1, pl 1 not thicker than the other setae. On tarsus IV ad 2 (212– 232 µm) and pd 2 (232–272 µm) macrosetae ( Fig. 11 ). All pre-tarsi with a pair of claws and a long thin membranous ambulacrum.

Insemination structures. Insemination ducts opening on posterior margin of coxa III; sacculus indistinct, apparently unsclerotised.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to its occurrence on beetles of the genus Propomacrus .

Remarks. Promacrolaelaps propomacrus sp. nov. differs from P. hunteri Costa by having the posterior dorsal setae Z4 not inserted on small tubercles (in P. hunteri Z4 are inserted on small tubercles), tarsus IV with two macrosetae (in P. hunteri tarsus IV has only one macroseta), genu IV with two macrosetae (in P. hunteri genu IV has only one macroseta), dorsal seta z5 short, not reaching to the base of seta j6 (in P. hunteri seta z5 is very long, reaching far past the base of j6), seta j4 short, not reaching to the base of seta z5 (in P. hunteri seta j4 is very long, reaching far past the base of z5).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Promacrolaelaps propomacrus sp. nov., female. 1. Dorsal idiosoma, setae outside the podonotal shield shown with broken lines; 2. Ventral idiosoma; 3. Hypostome; 4. Tritosternum; 5. Epistome; 6. Chelicera.

FIGURES 7 – 11. Promacrolaelaps propomacrus sp. nov., female. 7. Genu & femur I; 8. Genu & femur II; 9. Genu & femur III; 10. Genu & femur IV; 11. Tarsus IV.